Blake Shelton

Your weekday morning blend from Instant Tea.

1. CBS released another excerpt Wednesday night from Sherry Henry’s interview with 48 Hours Mystery, which will air an hourlong episode Saturday about the disappearance of Dallas lesbian Lisa Stone in June 2010. Henry is Stone’s former partner and the only person of interest in the case, and Stone’s friends believe Henry knows something about her disappearance. In the below story that aired on CBS 11 last night, Henry says: “You will not tear down my life. You will not point the finger at me, until you have verifiable proof that I have ever done anything other than support Lisa Stone in whatever she wanted to accomplish in her life. Lisa and I love each other. End of discussion!”

2. The Texas Senate passed a version of the budget Wednesday that would fund anticipated enrollment growth in the Texas HIV Medication Program, which provides lifesaving medication to low-income people with HIV/AIDS. The House’s version of the budget doesn’t fund any enrollment growth in the program, which is expected to amount to about 3,000 new clients over the next two years. It’s now up to a House-Senate conference committee to decide the level of funding for the program — and sort out the rest of the differences between the two budget bills. Overall, the Senate’s budget would spend $12 billion more in state and federal funds than the House’s version. The Senate approved its version of the budget in a 19-12 vote along party lines, after waving a rule that normally requires two-thirds support for bills to reach the floor. All 12 Democrats voted against the Senate budget, saying it cuts too deeply into education and social services. It was not immediately clear whether the Senate budget included an amendment from Rep. Wayne Christian, R-Center, that would require schools with LGBT resource centers to spend an equal amount on centers for “family and traditional values.”